Tucking attachment for knitting machines



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1922 E. u. AMES El AL TUCKING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Aug. 10 1926.

Aug. 10, 1926.

1,595,812 E. U. AMES ET AL TUCKING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 14, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 10 1926. 1,595,812

E. u. AMES Er AL TUGKING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 14. 1822 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 10 1926.

E. U. AMES ET AL TUCKING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 14, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED. STATES ELMER U. AMES AND EDWIN H. NEWELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A s- SIGNORS TO K. BRINTON COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, FENNSYL'VANIA, A COE- PORA'I'ION OF PENNSYLVANIA;

TUCKING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed larch 14, 1922. Serial No. 548,740.

One object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple attachment wherebg a circular knitting machine may be cause to form a series of tuck stitches at predetermined points in substantially vertical lines on a tubular fabric such as a stocking, to simulate the transfer stitches characteristic of full fashioned hosiery.

It is further desired to provide an attachment of the above type whose operation shall be dependent on a rotary structure in timed relation with the needle cylinder, on the cam drum and on a pattern chain the construction and arrangement being such as to permit of the utilization of the links of the pattern chain ordinarily employed in connection with the fashioning operation of the machine.

We also desire to provide an attachment whereby a knitting machine may be caused to form tuck stitches, in any required number at predetermined points on a stocking, and the invention further includes means for automatically actuating the upper center cam to cause it to periodically move into a position in which it fails to operate on certain of the needles, with a view to preventing these from knitting their stitches for one or more courses, and thereafter restoring said cam to its normal position in which it causes said needles to knit their stitches to form tucks as desired.

These objects and other advantageous ends we attain as hereinafter set forth, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, in W ich,

Fig. 1 is a plan illustrating the parts constituting our invention and showing in dot and dash the parts of the knitting machine 4 with which said device is associated;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation partly in section, further illustrating the invention;

Fig. 4; is a plan of one of the levers on a larger scale than that of the preceding figure;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of two others of the levers forming part of our invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of the portion of the needle cylinder to which till the lever actuating cam is applied in accord- PATENT OFFICE. A i

Fig. 9 is a plan of the needles of the ma-' chine. In carrying out our invention we employ in the cylinder, needles having butts of three lengths, those for knitting-the instep having relatively long butts andthose for knitting the heel, toe and back half of the stockin having relatively shorter butts. At aqua distances on opposite sides of the central one of these short butt needles are two other needles 35-35 having extra short butts and it 18 these last needles which are designed to form the tuck or mock fashion stitches.

For causing said extra short butt needles to form such stitches, the upper center cam of the knitting machine is moved back at predetermined times so that while it still actuates the long and medium butt needles to cause them to knit in the ordinary manner, it fails to operate on the extra short butt needlesfor a predetermined number of revolutions of the needle cylinder. with the result that the latter needles fail to form stitches. Thereafter said upper center cam is moved toward the needle cylinder so that the extra short butt needles as well as the other needles knit their stitches, thus-forming in the fabric on opposite sides of the central line of the back of the stocking, two tuck stitches. This operation may be repeated as many times as desired so that the finished stocking has two lines of tuck stitches extending at equal distances on both sides of the center line of its back, and these closely simulate the appearance of the transfer stitches characteristic of full fashioned stockings. X

For the purpose of thus forming the lines of tuck stitches as desired, the upper center cam 1 is provided with a holder 2 which is slidable in its supporting structure radially toward and from the center of the needle cylinder indicated at 3. This holder has fixed to it a plate 4.- engaged by the free end of an arm 5 (Fig. 6 mounted to oscillate on a vertical post 6 xed to and projecting upwardly from a supporting plate 7 suitably mountedon the frame of the machine. ThlS arm is at all'times acted on by a spring 8 also mounted on said post so that it tends to move the holder 2 with the upper center cam 1 toward the needle cylinder 3, to a position determined by the engagement of the plate 4 with the structure in which said holder is mounted.-

Also mounted to oscillate on the post 6 is a second arm 9 whose engagement with said post is more or less loose so that it is also free to be moved up or down in a vertical plane passing through the post. In order that it may be moved out of or into a position in which it will be engaged by a circularly curved cam 10 carried by some rotary part of the machine in timed relation to the needle cylinder, such for example as the gear ring 11, the arm 9 is operatively connected to the arm 5 so as to impart motion thereto by means of a pair of screws 32 and 33 adjustably mounted in lugsprojecting from the arm 9 and extending toward each other into engagement with opposite sides of the arm 5. These screws are so adjusted that when the arm 9 is not in engagement with the cam 10, the spring 8 is free to act on the arm 5 to hold it with the upper center cam 1 in such position that the latter will engage the butts of the extra short butt needles. When however, the arm 9 is engaged by the cam 10, the arm 5 with the holder 2 is swung outwardly such a distance that while the u per center cam can engage the butts of the ong and medium butt needles, it does not engage the extra short but needles.

For primarily controlling the operation of our attachment and governing the vertical position of the arm 9, we pivot'ally mount on a suitable portion of the knitting machine structure a lever 12, one of whose arms is designed to cooperate with either or both of the cams 13 and 15 fixed to the cam drum 14 vof the knitting machine. The second arm of this lever is operative upon a link 16 attached b a screw 17 to the arm 9, and by means 0 a pair of nuts 18 threaded on said link, the parts are so adjusted that said arm 9 is free to fall into position-to be engaged by the cylinder cam 10 as long as the cam lever 12 is engaged by the drum cams 13 or 15. When however said drum has turned sufiiciently to move said drum cams out of engagement with said cam lever, the latter under the action of a spring 19, acts on the nuts 18 of the link 16 and swings the arm 9 upwardly so that it cannot be engaged by the cylinder cam 10. 1

The cam lever 12 has also a third arm 20. designed to cooperate with an arm 21 of a lever 22, another of whose arms carries a chain follower 23 positioned to cooperate with the lugs 24 of a pattern chain which in the present instance is that employed in connection with the fashioning operation of the knitting machine. This follower lever has also an arm extending under an adjustable set screw 25 mounted. in the arm 9 so that when, under the action of a spring 26 acting on the follower 23, said lever is moved into one position, the arm 9 is sufficiently raised to e out of the path of the cylinder cam 10. The relation of the two lever arms 20 and 21 is such that when the cam lever 12 is oil of the drum cams 13 and 15, the spring 19 raises the follower 23 to such a height that it cannot be engaged by any of the pattern chain lugs.

Ordinarily, in the machine to which our invention is particularly designed to be applied, the pattern chain is fed but once in six revolutions of the machine and in order to cause it to be moved at each revolution, we

rovide a pawl 27 constantly reciprocated y any suitable part of the machine. In order however that said pawl shall be operative only when needed for the proper operation of 'our attachment, we mount on the follower 23 a rod 28 which, when said follower is raised out of the path of the lugs of the chain link by the action of the cam lever, will engage the tail 29 of said pawl and swing the latter on its supporting pivot 30, so that although reciprocated it cannot engage the chain feeding ratchet.

With the above described arrangement of parts, as long as the machine is knitting a tubular fabric such as a stocking, in the customary manner, the cam lever 12 engages the low portion of the. cam drum 14:, so that under the action of the spring 19 and link 16 said cam lever holds the arm 9 out of the ath of the cylinder cam 10. As noted, t e follower 23 is held by said cam lever out of engagement with the pattern chain and the pawl 27 is disengaged from the chain feeding ratchet, while the spring 8 holds the upper center cam as far as possible toward the needle cylinder. The cam 13 is so positioned on the cam drum 14 that when tuck stitches .are to be formed, said cam engages and turns the lever 12, thus freeing the arm 9 and releasing the pawl-27 so that the latter, being reciprocated at each revolution of the machine, is free to feed the pattern chain.

As long as the follower 23 engages the ordinary links of this chain, the lever 22 holds the arm 9 elevated out of the path of the cylinder cam 10 until when tuck stitches are to be formed, a high lug or high link of the pattern chain engages and raises the follower 23. Thereupon the lever 22 allows the arm 9 to move vertically downward into the path of the cylinder cam 10, which on the next revolution of the cylinder, engages said arm and swings it outwardly. This outward movement through the screw 32 is communicated to the arm 5,

operation to be repeated, so that .it is poswhich is likewise swung outwardly against the action of the spring 8 and moves the upper center cam into such a position that it cannot engage the butts of the extra short butt needles.

As a consequence these two needles do not 0 down to knit stitches for one or more revolutions of the needle cylinder until the 'lugor high link of the pattern chain disengages the follower 123, when the lever 22 is turned on its pivot and raises the arm 9 out of the path of the cylinder cam 10, The upper center cam 1 thereupon remains in such a position that on the next revolution of the needle cylinder it acts upon the extra short butts of the two tucking needles, causin these to knit stitches and thus form tuck stitches as desired in the stocking. After a redetermined number of courses, another igh link or lug on the pattern chain engages the follower 23 and causes the above sible to form as many pairs of tuck stitches as may be desired.

When the requisite number of these stitches has been made, the cam 13 or its extension 15 passes out of engagement with the lever 12, which is thereupon movedby the spring 19 into vsuch a position that it raises the arm 9 out of the path of the cylinder cam 10 and elevates the follower 23 so that it cannot be engaged by the pattern chain, at the same time swinging the pawl 27 on its pivot 30 into such osition that it cannot act on the chain fee ing ratchet.

From the above description it will be noted that b means of the relatively simple attachment illustrated and by using a pair of extra short butt needles, we are enabled to utilize the upper center cam of the knitting machine to form lines of tuck stitches as de sired. The pattern chain used for actuating the follower 23 is that ordinarily employs in the machine and its high links are those used in connection with the fashioning operation of the knitting machine to which said attachment is applied.

It is obvious that the positions of the tuck stitches in the length of the stocking may be widely varied by suitably altering the cam 13 with or without the cam 15, the number of the tucks being dependent also upon the number of lugs or high links on the pattern chain and the spacing of said tucks in the stocking being therefore dependent on the spacing of said lugs. It will further be noted that th formation of the tuck stitches is dependent not only on the pattern chain and cam drum, but also on the cam 10 which is in this instance attached to the needle cylinder.

The arm 9 is controlled by the cam lever 12 and also by the follower lever 22 so far as its vertical movements are concerned and it is swung at right angles to the plane of these other movements by the action of the cylinder cam 10 so as to thereby actuate t e upper center cam of the knitting machine. The number of stitches in each tuck is governed by the number of revolutions of the needle 0 linder or carrier, while the follower is hel in its raised position by a hi h link of the pattern chain.

e claim:

1. The combination with a knitting ma chine having needles with three'lengths of butts, a carrier for said needles and an upper center needle cam, of automatic means ncluding mechanism including a cam on the needle carrier for periodically moving said cam into position to clearthe butts of one length while operative on the butts of the other two lengths, and thereafter restoring sa d cam to its normal position in which it operates on the butts of all of the needles.

2. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder needles with butts of three diflerent lengths and an upper center cam, of means including a member carried by thecylinder for periodically moving said upper center cam into a position in which it clears the extra short butt needles while engaging the other needles and thereafter restoring said cam to its normal position in which it engages all of the needles.

3. The combination of a knitting machine including a cam drum; a needle carrier; a cam thereon; short butt needles; an u er center needle cam; means controlled by the cam drum and by the cam on the needle carrier for moving the upper center cam into and out of a position in which it clears the short butt needles while operating on the remainder.

4. The combination of a knitting machine including a needle carrier; a cam on the needle carrier; an upper center cam; a cam drum; needles having butts of at least two different lengths; a pattern chain; and means controlled by the cam drum, the cam on the needle carrier and the pattern chain for periodically moving the upper center cam into position to clear the short butt needles to form lines of tuck stitches while operating on the remainder of said needles.

5. The combination in a knitting machine of a needle carrier having needles with long and short butts; a rotary member in timed relation to the needle carrier; a cam drum; a pattern chain; and means controlled by said rotary member, the cam drum and the patmechanism controlled by said pattern chain, cam drum and rotary member for periodically forming tuck stitches in the fabric formed by the needles. I

7. The combination ofa knitting machine including a carrier having needles; a cam drum; a pattern chain; a cam on thecarrier; with mechanism actuated by said cam and cont-rolled by the cam drum and pattern chain for periodically forming tuck stitches in the fabric formed by the needles.

8. The combination of a knitting machine including a needle carrier; needles therefor; a cam for actuating said needles to knit a fabric; with means for periodically moving said cam out of the path of certain of the needles and thereafter restoring it to its normal position to cause said needles to form tuck stitches, the same including a cam on the needle carrier; and means for controlling the act-ion of said cum.

9. The combination of a knitting machine including a needle carrier; needles therefor; a cam for actuating said needles to knit a fabric; with means for periodically moving said cam out of the path of certain of the needles and thereafter restoring it to its normal posit-ion to cause said needles to form tuck stitches, the same including an arm operative in two planes substantially at right angles to each other and operatively connected to said cam; a cam in timed relation with the needle carrier for actuating said arm; and a drum carried cam for controlling the position of said arm with relation to the carrier timed cam.

10. The combination in a knitting machine of a needle carrier; needles therein; a cam adjustable into and out of position to clear certain of said needles while operating to cause others to form stitches; a cam on the carrier for determining the time in the operation of the machine at which said adjustable cam is actuated and tuck stitches are to be formed; and a fashioning chain for determining the number of tuck stitches.

11. The combination in a knitting machine of a needle cylinder; a pattern chain; a cam rotatable with the cylinder; with tuckforming mechanism actuated by said cam and governed by the pattern chain of the machine.

ELMER U. AMES. EDWIN H. NEW'ELL. 

